Hell For The Youngest
by lilballerette10
Summary: My second tag to 5.04. Castiel shows Dean the reason why Sam said "yes". Warning: Rated T for some what brief mentions of torture


**Hey guys! So here's my second tag to 5.04, and my second reason as to why Sam said "yes" to Lucifer. I think this one makes a little more sense then the last one because this seems a lot more plausible. For those of you who read my other one, the beginning and the end to this one is pretty similar to the beginning and end for that one so just giving you a heads up. I'll also mention what I mentioned in that story, parts of the beginning and end are direct lines from the episode. Anywho enjoy :)**

* * *

Dean was standing there, with Zachariah in his room, telling him that he must say "Yes" to Michael, that he must let Michael kill Lucifer now.

Dean walked past Zachariah. He thought of everything that he had just seen, everything he had just gone through. But if he gave into Zachariah now, half the world would be destroyed. The angels had screwed him before, how could he trust them now, especially Zachariah the mother of all douche bags! There had to be another way…there just had to be!

"Naa," Dean let out waiting for Zachariah to flip.

"Naa? You telling me you haven't learned your lesson?" Zachariah started visibly shaking with anger.

"Oh I learned a lesson alright," Dean started starring defiantly at Zachariah. "Just not the one you wanted to teach!"

"Well I'll just have to teach it again!" yelled Zachariah as he started to approach Dean. "Cuz I gotchu now boy and I'm never letting you…"

That was the last Dean heard before he found himself zapped onto the street.

It took a second for Dean to recognise where he was and then he turned around to find Castiel standing right behind him. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's pretty nice timing Cas," he smiled with gratitude.

"We had an appointment," Cas replied back smiling, well as much as Castiel smiles.

Everytime Dean didn't think he could feel more gratitude toward Cas, he was proved wrong, and he couldn't be happier be more wrong about something. And then he remmebred the Cas in the future, and realized how much he liked this Cas.

"Don't ever change," Dean said as he placed a hand on Cas's shoulder.

Cas smiled with his eyes, appreciating that Dean appreciated him.

"How did Zachariah find you?"

Dean shook his head.

"Long story…let's just stay away from Jehovah witnesses from now on okay?"

Cas nodded his head. Dean closed his eyes as he looked up to the sky and took a deep breath of fresh air to try and clear his mind. The silence was soon interrupted by Cas's voice.

"Dean, what Zachariah showed you was not the whole story."

"What are you talking about Cas?" Dean asked opening his eyes and snapping his attention to Cas.

"There was much more, much more that would explain a lot, Zachariah just wished not to show you."

Dean looked at Cas curiously.

"Such as…?"

"Let me show you," Cas reached over and put his two fingers against Dean's forehead.

Dean saw Cas's fingers headed to his forehead, and the next thing he knew he was standing, with Cas, inside a motel room, a little dizzy from the teleporting.

"Seriously you Angels need to stop that! Or at least ask permission first so I can prepare myself!" Dean looked irritably at Cas.

"Sorry," Cas apologized, although to anyone who didn't know Cas the apology would've seemed insincere what with the perma neutral face he had on, but Dean knew he meant it, besides it was impossible to be mad at Cas, he just…well it was Cas.

Dean looked around the motel room.

"So why exactly are we in some random motel room?" Dean asked continuing to look around.

"You'll see," Cas replied looking towards the door.

Just as Dean eyed Cas, the front door opened and in stepped….Sam.

The first thing Dean noticed was how Sam hadn't changed one bit, he was every bit as tall, strong, and determined looking as before, except the expression on his face. It looked like a mixture of sadness, determination, and loneliness.

"What is this?" Dean asked looking at Cas.

"This is four years into the future Dean. Not the full five years that Zachariah showed you, this is before Sam said "yes" to Lucifer, but you must see what happens here in order to understand what happens there."

"Right…of course, you're quite the cryptic talker you know that Cas."

Castiel looked over at Dean and then looked away.

"If you say so Dean."

Dean raised his eyebrows than shook his head, Cas was quite the character.

"So I take it he can't hear us?"

"No, we are invisible here."

Dean's nodded his head as his attention was then drawn to his little brother who had some maps laid out on the table.

"What he's doing?" questioned Dean.

"He is trying to track down Lucifer," Castiel replied matter-of-factly.

Dean didn't like the sounds of that. Cas had just said that this was before Sam has said "yes" to Lucifer, which means that Sam probably found him and something had happened then.

As Sam folded the sleeves of his shirt up while starting to trace a path along the map, Dean noticed a huge cut on Sam's arm. Dean stepped a bit closer to get a better look.

"Hunters," replied Castiel.

Dean's head snapped around to face Castiel.

"What?"

"Hunters did that to him, he's had it pretty hard since he's been on his own, had a few of those "near-death experiences", as you humans call it," he replied looking Dean straight in the eye.

Cas's words echoed in Dean's head as he turned back around to look at Sam. He should've known, he should've known hunters would find out, but then again, Sam standing in front of him proved that Sam knew how to take care of himself, how to get out of those situations alive.

"But he made it out alive, that's all that matter," Dean replied.

"Barely."

Dean felt the guilt rise back up, but he didn't want to ask what Cas meant by that, he didn't think his conscience could take that right now. Instead he decided to change the subject.

"So does he find Lucifer? Is this where shit hits the fan and Sam says yes?" Dean asks still keeping his eye on Sam.

"You will see," was all Castiel replied with.

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Gotcha!" Sam jumped out of the chair.

Dean's attention was automatically turned towards his brother.

Sam's breathing started to pick up a bit.

"This is it, this is where it all ends," Sam replied looking down at the map.

"You're brother thinks he has found a way to kill Lucifer," said Castiel as he tried to fill Dean in on what was going on.

Dean turned to look at Cas.

"Well did he? Find a way I mean?"

"Sort of."

"What the hell does sort of mean?"

"Dean, that is not the point of all of this, just keep watching," Cas replied turning his gaze back to Sam.

Dean was getting really frustrated now, he hated cryptic messages, he just wanted to know what the hell was going on!

Dean then saw Sam pull out his cell. Dean walked up beside Sam to see who he was calling, thinking it was probably Bobby, but his heart sank a little when he saw who it was.

Sam had gone to Dean's number.

Sam didn't press call right away, he just sort of stood there…starring at Dean's name on his phone book.

Dean knew that Sam didn't press it because the future him said they hadn't talked in five years.

But then, to Dean's surprise, Sam pressed the call button, but then within seconds he ended the call.

Sam shook his head.

"What the hell am I doing," Sam replied. Dean could hear the sadness in his voice. "Dean doesn't want to hear from me, he hasn't wanted to hear from me in four years, just…go kill Lucifer and then maybe…just maybe Dean will want to talk to me again."

Dean's heart broke a little at hearing those words. His future him had told him they hadn't talked in five years, but it didn't make this hurt any less.

Dean then saw Sam take a deep breath, mask all the pain and hurt, and plaster on the determined soldier face that Dean had mastered so long ago. Dean smiled a sad smile, he saw a lot of himself in his little brother at that moment, and it broke his heart at what life had done to Sam.

"He's coming," Castiel spoke as Dean snapped out of the moment and looked at Cas.

"Who's com…" Dean started but didn't get to finish as the front door swung open.

Dean's eyes, snapped to the man standing in the doorway, just as Sam's did.

_Lucifer_

Dean didn't know how he knew, but he knew it was Lucifer. His breathing started to pick up, the damn devil was right in front of him, and he could do nothing about it. He saw Lucifer walking towards Sam and instinct took over as he stepped in front of Sam. Lucifer walked right through him.

"Dean…you're invisible remember," Cas reminded him.

Dean turned around and walked to the other side of Sam as he saw Lucifer face to face with his little brother.

"Hey there Sam, word around town is that you're looking for me!" Lucifer remarked snidely.

Dean could see Sam's jaw tighten as he stepped back looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"What's the matter Sammy? Trap not in place yet?" Lucifer laughed.

Dean wanted nothing more than to kill the son of a bitch right there and then.

"How the hell did you find me…"

"Oh that little charm protection thing Cas gave you so long ago, doesn't protect against know it all hunters," Lucifer smiled. "I'll admit, it took some time to find you, two years since the last time I saw you, but really, it's amazing what they will spill when they're tortured, should've really tried that sooner."

This was bad, this was really, really bad. Dean knew Sam was screwed, he wasn't ready.

"Enough with the chit chat Sammy, you know why I'm here,"

"Go to hell," Sam replied standing up tall.

"Come on Sam, what do you have to live for now anyways? You're brother ditched you, hunters want you dead, demons want you dead, you're practically alone in this world, just say yes and all that can change."

Dean's fists clenched at his sides at the words coming out of Lucifer's mouth. He could tell that Lucifer's words stung Sam, but Sam was doing a good job of covering that up. The only reason Dean could tell was because Dean had practically raised the kid.

"I'd rather die," Sam replied defiantly.

_Atta boy Sammy!_

Lucifer stood there just starring at Sam for a few seconds. Dean had a bad feeling about this, all he wanted to do was grab Sam and run out of there…but he couldn't grab Sam …Sam was alone in this.

After a few moments Lucifer smiled.

"That can be arranged."

Dean's heart stopped as he heard those words and Lucifer reached forward towards Sam.

All of a sudden the entire room went white and Dean had to shield his eyes from the blinding light.

************

When Dean finally opened his eyes he realized that he was not in the motel room anymore, he was in some sort of basement.

As he looked around frantically for Sam, he saw someone strapped down to a table that was standing vertically.

_Sammy_

Dean's heart stopped as he saw Sam's lanky figure strapped down to the table with Lucifer standing right beside him. Sam was fully awake and looked unharmed, but Dean knew it wasn't going to stay that way for long.

"You will say yes to me Sam," replied Lucifer as he pulled out a knife.

Dread started to fill up in Dean.

_Oh god…he's going to torture Sam._

"Do whatever the hell you want, I'm not saying yes," replied Sam looking defiantly at Lucifer.

"We'll see about that!"

Sam's screams all of a sudden filled the room as Lucifer started to slice and dice into Sam.

The first slice was a clean cut on his abdomen, the second on his arm, then his thigh, and his abdomen again.

"Say yes Sam, and all this can end," Lucifer reinforced.

"No!" Sam responded through gritted teeth.

Lucifer then took the knife and slowly cut deeper into Sam's flesh. Sam screamed again as blood started to pool out of him.

"CAS DO SOMETHING!" yelled Dean as he felt helpless standing in front of Sam, not being able to do anything.

"Dean, you know I can't," Cas replied sympathetically as he looked into Dean's horrified eyes.

Dean's horrified gaze went back to Sam. Sam was bleeding out everywhere.

Sam's scream filled the room. Dean's legs started to shake and he had to grab on to a table that was beside him to help him not fall over.

"All you have to do is say yes Sam," Lucifer repeated.

Sam was finding it harder and harder to breathe.

"N-n-o," he managed to get out.

"Suit yourself," replied Lucifer as he took the knife and stabbed Sam in the abdomen.

"NOOO!!!" yelled Dean as he ran to Sam.

Blood started to pool out of Sam's mouth and as Dean looked at Sam's eyes, a little part of him died as he remembered that exact same look from when Sam was stabbed by Jake…Sam was dying…again.

All of a sudden Sam's eyes closed and his body went limp.

"No…no no no no…Sammy…Sammy wake up, come on little brother wake up" Dean pleaded as he didn't leave Sam's side.

"Dean," Cas started as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's no use, I'm sorry."

Dean looked up at Cas, tears falling down his face, he couldn't do this again he couldn't lose Sam.

"No, he c-can't, he…" Dean didn't get a chance to finish as Sam suddenly coughed and came back to life.

Dean stepped back in utter shock, and he found it hard to breathe as he saw all of Sam's wounds start to disappear. And then it clicked, Dean knew what was going on.

"Oh god…no…no no…" Dean snapped his head towards Cas. "Cas…he's not…"

"I'm afraid so Dean."

Dean saw the shocked expression on Sam's face…Sam knew what was happening to him too.

Dean's legs couldn't hold him up anymore as he slid to the ground, his back against the wall.

It was happening again…it was happening again…but to Sam…to his Sam.

_Oh god…_

Dean found Cas standing above him.

"Lucifer…he's going to do it isn't he…what Alistair did to me down there…"

Cas nodded his head.

Dean felt the bile rise up as he couldn't hold it in this time. He let it out as reality came crashing down. Lucifer was going to torture Sam, and then heal him, over…and over…and over…until Sam gave in. He finally understood why Sam said yes…god he finally understood.

"I get it Cas! I get it okay, I get why he's going to say yes! Now take me back, I can't…I can't see this," Dean said looking at the ground.

Cas looked sympathetically at Dean.

"Not yet Dean, you don't know."

"What the hell do you mean I don't know!" yelled Dean, raising his voice more than he intended. Recognizing this he immediately lowered his voice. "Cas, this is the exact same thing that happened to me, I don't need to see my little brother go through it…I can't…"Dean said with a shaky voice as he looked up feeling utterly helpless and defeated.

Castiel said nothing as Lucifer started in on Sam again.

"This seem familiar to you Sam?" questioned Lucifer as he took the knife and started in on Sam again. "You remember someone talking about something like this?"

Sam looked at Lucifer defiantely, he was scared as shit but he wasn't about to show it.

"You son of a bitch…" Sam managed to get out looking at Lucifer, his jaws clenched.

"I really don't want to hurt you Sam, I just want you to say yes."

"No!"

Lucifer smiled sadly.

"Well at least you'll get a first hand experience at what your brother went through."

And with that Lucifer started slicing and dicing.

*****

Dean then found himself in the same room, same situation in front of him but he knew something was different as he stood up.

"It's been a month now," replied Castiel walking up to Dean, sensing that Dean knew something was different.

Dean's eyes went wide. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He looked over at Sam.

"A month…Lucifer's had him for a month…" Dean finally managed to get out as tears started to sting his eyes.

"I'm afraid so Dean, it didn't take Lucifer a couple of days to get Sam to say yes, it was much longer"

Dean looked away from Cas as he heard Sam scream.

This time Lucifer took nails and hammered Sam's shoulders, legs, hands, and feet to the table.

Dean immediately took his eyes away from what he was seeing, he couldn't do this, he couldn't watch Lucifer torture Sammy anymore, but he could still hear the heart piercing screams coming out of his baby brother. And then Sam let out another piercing scream, this time though at the end of the scream Dean heard what came out of Sam's mouth, and his heart shattered into a million pieces.

"Dean..." It was a weak, breathless, almost inaudible cry for help, but everyone in the room, including Dean, heard it.

Tears started to fill Dean's eyes as he remembered himself screaming out for Sam when he was in hell, feeling so broken, so alone…

_This can't be happening, not to Sammy…_

The guilt was consuming Dean. _If I hadn't abandoned him, if I had let him come back, if I hadn't been so proud…I could have protected him._

Lucifer shook his head.

"He's not going to come to your rescue this time Sam. You can cry for him as much as you want, _he _left you remember!" He scolded Sam. "Just say "yes" Sam, all you have to do is say yes and I will make the pain disappear forever."

Cas looked over and saw the utter devastation in Dean, and decided to spare Dean some of the more graphic details.

*******

As Dean tried to control his breathing he suddenly found that the screaming had subsided…so much so that it was actually quiet.

Dean slowly got to his feet and saw Sam conscious, awake, and un marked yet again, on the table, with Lucifer nowhere in site. Dean looked over at Cas.

"What's going on?"

"I didn't think you needed to see all the graphic details, we are here…the day that Sam says yes."

"What do you mean we are here?" Dean dreaded what he was about to ask next. "How…how long has Sam been here…with him?"

"Two months," Castiel replied quietly.

Dean's eyes went wide.

"Two…o god…he's had to endure this for two…" Dean couldn't finish his sentence.

"Yes Dean…it's almost been as long as you had to endure it."

Dean looked up at Sam and his heart shattered as he saw how broken Sam looked.

Dean could see the mental toll this had taken on his brother. He saw the pain laced in Sam's features; he saw the same haunted look in Sam's eyes that he remembered seeing in his own eyes after he had come back from hell. He knew all too well what was going on inside his little brother, and he hated…hated that Sam had to endure this. Now he knew why, now he knew how Lucifer broke Sam.

The door suddenly opened and Lucifer walked in. Dean would've done anything, anything to not be visible right now, to take Sam's place on that table…to do anything to protect his little brother.

"Let's try this one more time Sam, say "yes", say "yes" and I'll stop," Lucifer replied as he stepped closer to Sam.

Dean saw the pain in Sam's eyes, and he dreaded this…he was scared to hear…

"No," Sam managed weakly. "It will always be no."

Dean let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. His heart swelled with pride as he looked at the defiant face of his little brother and he didn't think he could be any more proud of Sam than he was right now.

"Well technically you have only been here two months, I should've given you more credit, you're brother lasted about 2 and half months, I should've known it would've taken just as long to break you too," he said as he put down the knife.

For a second Dean's heart filled with hope, Lucifer had put the knife down.

"Lucky for you Sam, I don't have that kind of time, Nick here is dying on me, I need a new meat suit…like now."

"I'll never say yes…never"

Lucifer looked at him and smiled, he could tell Sam was weakening.

"Oh…you would eventually say yes, believe me…you think your brother wasn't as stubborn as this? I just don't have the time to wait six more months…so I have a proposition, probably something I should've done sooner, I really would've liked to spare you the torture," Lucifer said seriously.

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat…he had a really bad feeling about this.

Sam never said anything, just tried to remain strong and looked defiantly at Lucifer.

"How about…you say "yes" or…."

Sam had a bad feeling about this.

"Or….I drag your big strong brother, back down to hell," Lucifer smiled.

Dean froze on the spot.

Sam's heart fell to his stomach. He knew it would come down to something like this.

"Not so quick with the comebacks now are we Sam?"

Dean looked at Cas, eyes pleading him to tell him this was a joke. Cas sadly just looked away.

_Oh god_

Dean looked over at Sam who was starring at the ground, his eyes were closed and his head was bowed.

_No Sammy, don't do it, don't you do it!_

"I need an answer Sam, otherwise I'm dragging Dean back down there, and it'll be worse than the last time…I'll make sure of that personally."

Sam knew Lucifer wasn't joking, he knew he would go through with the threat.

Sam slowly opened his eyes and raised his head to look at Lucifer. Dean stepped up so that he could see Sam's eyes, somehow maybe will him not to do this. But then he saw it, he saw the devastation there, he saw the pain, but most of all…he saw love.

_No…no no no…_

"If I say "yes"," Sam started with a shaky voice. "You can't touch Dean, you can't take him back to hell."

"Sure."

"No! You tell me right now that you won't hurt him, that he lives!"

_Sammy no…_

Lucifer took a step up to Sam

"I will not touch Dean, I will not kill Dean, and I will not take him back to hell," Lucifer smiled. "But I will defend myself if he comes after me, I just won't send him to hell."

Sam took a deep breath. He didn't have a choice, he would die before he let Dean go back to hell. They hadn't talked in four years, he didn't even know if Dean cared anymore, but Dean was still his whole world, his best friend, and his big brother; Dean was the reason he kept on fighting. His only hope now was that Dean would somehow find a way to kill him, that maybe he would let Michael in, just until Michael killed Lucifer and then let Dean be, and maybe…just maybe…Dean could one day forgive him for saying "yes" to Lucifer.

Sam looked down at the ground, and when Sam whispered his next words, Dean's heart shattered.

"I'm so sorry Dean…please forgive me for this," Sam whispered as a tear streaked down his face. He knew this was it for him, he'd never see Dean again, he'd never hunt again…this was it.

Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing; after everything….after everything Sam had gone through, and then finally giving himself over to the devil to protect Dean…he was still asking Dean for forgiveness.

The tears Dean were holding back began to fall.

Sam looked up at Lucifer.

"Yes," he said as another tear slipped down his face.

Lucifer smiled.

"You will not regret this Sam, this is your destiny."

And with that there was a bright flash of light, and then Dean found himself on the side of the road again, where they began.

*****

Dean stood their shell shocked, just starring at the road. He didn't bother to wipe the tears off his face, he didn't have the energy to even reach his arm up to do it. Everything he just witnessed came crashing down on him like a ton of bricks. _He _had abandoned Sam and Sam still loved him more than he loved himself. After four years…four years of Dean ignoring Sam, Sam was still willing to sacrifice everything for Dean.

And then Dean remembered the future Dean. How angry he had looked when he told him that Sam had said "yes", how future Dean hadn't even bothered to find the reason why Sam would do such a thing, how future Dean didn't care enough to give his little brother the benefit of the doubt. He hated his future self, and he vowed, right there and then, that he would never, _ever_, become that future Dean.

"I am sorry you had to see that Dean, it must have been painful," replied Cas as Dean turned around to see Cas standing there. He had completely forgotten that he wasn't alone…unlike Sam.

"I wanted to show you what Zachariah did not."

Dean looked away as he tried to deal with everything he just saw.

"You will always be your brother's weak spot, and the demons know that…Lucifer knows that. Your brother is one of the strongest hunters and humans I have ever come across, but one need only threaten you and he will do anything to make sure that doesn't happen. And you are the same way."

"How could I have done that…leave him alone, ignore him…for four…five years," Dean said his voice shaking. "And what he went through…god Cas, I never wanted him to go through what I went through down there."

"I know Dean. The you that you saw in the future was what you become without your brother, Zachariah did not want you to see that. But it's not too late Dean."

Dean took a deep breath and looked at Cas. That was it. Demons, angels, hunters, they were all done screwing with them. Dean would die before he let that future play out.

"You damn right it's not," he replied as he pulled out his phone.

**************

Dean leaned against his car as he waited for Sam to arrive. He hadn't been able to sleep at all last night since he had talked to Sam. Hearing his brother's voice…Dean couldn't describe how good that felt, and morning could not have come sooner. Everytime Dean had tried to sleep he was plagued with nightmares of Lucifer tortuing Sam, so he figured it was best not to sleep.

As Dean waited for Sam he realized that his heart was beating so fast, after everything he had witnessed the night before, he just wanted to see his little brother in one piece.

He heard Sam's car roll up and he saw Sam get out. Dean let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding as he saw Sam's tall frame, all in one piece. Dean had the same feeling inside of him now as he did that day he walked in on Sam, standing in front of that mirror, checking out the scar Jake had left after that knife had gone through Sam's spine, after Dean had made the deal. It was a feeling he couldn't describe, it was the feeling of knowing that the single most important person in your life was still alive...was still there with you.

As they walked towards each other Dean noticed that Sam was looking more at the ground than at him.

_Cuz you told him you were better off alone idiot!_

The brother's came to a standstill in front of eachother.

Dean was the first to speak.

"Sam," he said with a shaky voice.

Sam looked at him with uncertainty and it broke Dean's heart. In an instant everything he had seen the night before flashed before him, Sam being tortured, Sam's screams, Sam calling out to him, and finally…Sam saying yes to Lucifer to protect him.

Dean looked up at Sam and saw the little brother who would do anything, and sacrifice everything, for him. He saw the little brother he had practically raised, he saw the little brother who loved him more than anything else in this world...and he saw the same love in those eyes that he had seen when Sam was given that proposition.

Dean, generally, was not one for the chick flick moments, but chick flick moment be damned, Dean grabbed Sam into a hug.

Sam didn't know how to react, a hug was definitely not what he had expected…he wasn't exactly sure what he had expected, but a hug definitely was not it.

Dean could sense Sam's uncertainty and held onto his brother tighter until Sam finally got the hint and returned the hug with just as much vigour.

Finally they pulled apart.

"Dean…"

Dean stopped Sam before he could continue as he pulled out Ruby's knife.

He saw Sam flinch and take an ever so slight step back. Dean stopped pointing the knife at Sam and flipped it around to hand Sam the handle.

"If you're serious, and you want back in, you should hang onto this, I'm sure you're rusty."

Sam looked at Dean with a sparkle in his eye that Dean hadn't seen in a long time.

Sam slowly moved his hand forward to grab the knife.

"Look man I'm sorry," Dean started as he saw that Sam was avoiding eye contact. "I dunno, whatever I need to be but I was uh…wrong," he finished as he looked up at Sam.

_God Sammy I was so wrong_

Sam took a deep breath, an apology was definitely not what he had expected.

"What made you change your mind?" Sam questioned genuinely curious.

Dean looked at the ground and scoffed, everything playing through his mind again.

"Long story…the point is…maybe we are each other's Achilles' heal, and maybe they'll find a way to use us against each other, I don't know. I just know we're all we got," he said as he looked at his little brother.

Sam just stood their absorbing all this in. This is all he had wanted since he had set Lucifer free, he knew he didn't deserve it, he knew he didn't deserve Dean's forgiveness, but Dean was giving it anyway, and it was taking a lot to keep his emotions in.

"More than that," Dean continued as he thought about how the future Dean acted, how he hadn't even bothered looking for Sam, how he hadn't even bothered finding out why Sam had said "yes", how he purposely sent his friends into an ambush. "We keep each other human," he said as he looked up at Sam and saw the understanding in Sam's eyes. They both needed each other to prevent the future that was set out for them.

"Thank you," Sam started as he looked as his brother. "Really, thank you. I won't let you down" And Sam meant it, with every fibre in his body, he meant it.

"Oh I know it," Dean half smiled at Sam. "And you are the second best hunter in the world."

Sam smiled at Dean's attempt to lighten the mood a bit.

Sam took a deep breath, "So what do we do now?"

It had been awhile since Sam had looked to Dean for guidance, but he needed it now, if only for this moment, he needed his big brother to tell him what to do.

"We make our own future," Dean said with determination.

Sam nodded.

"Guess we have no choice," Sam stated with just as much determination.

Dean took a good look at his little brother, his Sammy….not Lucifer….but his Sammy.

Dean knew torture, he knew it better than anyone, and if he didn't protect Sam, Sam would know too. So right there and then he vowed never to let Sam go through the torture Lucifer had put him through, even if Dean had to die to prevent it.

_No Sammy, we have no choice, because I can't lose you again…I won't…I'll protect you until my dying breath, and that's a promise little brother._

**THE END!!**


End file.
